


Smoke Signals

by LemonKith



Series: Our Reflection in the TV [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV), Gotham (TV) RPF
Genre: Actor meets character, But also penguins and jokes about cat ears, Dialogue Heavy, M/M, Mentions of Hattercrow, Serious Discussions, This is so meta it hurts, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 07:03:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15944225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LemonKith/pseuds/LemonKith
Summary: They say life imitates art, but sometimes it's hard to know where one ends and the other begins anyway. Especially when the two finally come together.The real-life Penguin and Riddler have been watching Fox's seriesGothamunfold. After the season 4 finale they engaged in a rather public kiss that has set Gotham fans and Gotham citizens alight. Ahead of filming for the final season beginning, Oswald and the Iceberg Lounge receive a very special, secret visitor.





	Smoke Signals

**Author's Note:**

> A massive thanks to [Feuri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/feurio) who helped me take this all the way from an idea born in the comments of the last fic to what it’s become. It wouldn’t be half of what it is without them.
> 
> Same rules apply as last time – This is a more comics/Animated Series Oswald, as with the other rogues; a lot of it is just plain my headcanons too.  
> This also takes place in the same universe as my Hattercrow fics ([1](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13982985) [2](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14307285)) for reference, just a few years down the line.

###  ** Gotham Gazette, June 19th **

> Entertainment & Arts
> 
> ** Exclusive: Riddler and Penguin ‘Come Out’ with Their Reaction to Fox’s _Gotham_**  
>  By Steve Turner
> 
> Whatever you may think of the show’s particular take on our less-than-fair city, one cannot deny that watch-alongs of Fox’s hit series _Gotham_ at the one and only Iceberg Lounge have quickly become the _coolest_ event in town each Thursday night for the past eight months.
> 
> It all culminated last month with a now-famous, viral kiss between our real-life Penguin and Riddler at the end of the season finale showing, purportedly dissatisfied with their storyline on the show. But the riddle they both left us asking this time was whether it was just another of the Riddler’s attention-seeking publicity stunts or if there actually is something there, perhaps something _Gotham’s_ writers knew all along considering their assertions on the show.
> 
> After weeks of trying, I was finally able to encounter the Riddler yesterday morning thanks to lucky happenstance and some helpful, if not terribly civically-minded, _Pokémon Go_ fans who play with him sometimes. Although he did not explicitly agree to an interview, he nonetheless answered my questions I put to him about the show.
> 
> When asked for his opinion on _Gotham_ overall, “Well, it has at least _some_ sense of style, which is more than can be said for the majority of media representations of us. The writing is abysmally clichéd and obvious for most of the characters, as are most of the characters themselves, but what can you expect from a bunch of TV writers?”
> 
> On his character specifically, “I’ll admit at first I almost had hopes for this one. But now I’ve ended up suffering some of the worst of the drivel they attempt to pass off as writing of all the characters on the show; my entire character arc for season four was a complete disaster! I’d rather have not been in the season at all. And God, he’s so _plain_! Boring hair, boring face, boring outfits: He looks like a supply Math teacher- And don’t get me started on the fact they were the first to actually try and portray my autism but then just _dropped_ it! And his love interests are the _absolute worst_ characters on the show, every single one of them.” He proceeded to continue in this vein for a while, criticising other aspects of the character and actor with an almost vindictive malice.
> 
> When I managed to move the subject on to his real-life kiss with the Penguin, questions as to its authenticity were met with a perhaps expectably enigmatic answer from the Riddler: “What do you think?” Upon delivering my opinion that if it was a stunt attempting to influence the direction of the show it would have made far more sense after season three, and thus I couldn’t see any reason it would be a stunt unless they had been paid to do it to raise publicity for the show, he responded, “Oh please, why would they have hired us to advertise for them right after a season had just _ended_ , you moron?” When asked if it was an attempt to influence the direction of the show then: “The Oswald of the show deserves someone far better than that pathetic, inconsistent and ungrateful emulation of me; it certainly wasn’t an attempt to revive that ship they so gracelessly sunk.”
> 
> Since that once again led me to believe the only conclusion was that the kiss had been authentic: “Any simpleton ought to be able to work out the answer to that; all the clues are there in the context. It was because of the show, but I believe I’ve made my feelings on that plainly clear.” When pressed, the Riddler would add nothing more than further cryptic remarks that made the matter no clearer, only convinced me to believe it was yet another of his famous riddles.
> 
> I managed to finish by asking the Riddler one final question: Is he actually queer? “Please. You thought _I_ was straight?” Indeed, there are a noted number of rumours surrounding the Riddler and his association with the Mad Hatter and Scarecrow while at Arkham. I don’t believe anyone will have been particularly surprised by his revelation even if they haven’t heard those rumours, however.
> 
> I rounded off the interview by asking if either of them had ever met or been consulted with in regard to their relationship on the show, as an attempt to tease out if there is any real-life basis to the storyline. When it appeared the Riddler was quickly aware of my ulterior motive I was forced to end the interview and leave in a hurry.
> 
> Later that evening I managed to gain entry to the Iceberg Lounge to get the Penguin’s side of things, although only after a lengthy wait thanks to the current fuss over the Humboldt penguin egg that appeared shortly after the season finale due to hatch any day now. A symbolic message that more than just a kiss happened that night? Who can say.
> 
> Though reluctant to speak to me at first, the Penguin did consent to an interview after a few attempts.
> 
> I put similar questions to him regarding his overall opinion on the show, which was far more positive than the Riddler’s in general, if still tempered with a few dismissive comments about certain parts of the writing, then on his own character: “Ah. It’s always a slightly complicated matter to watch oneself being acted by another; one can’t help comparing the interpretation to the reality you know so intimately. But no, I’ve earnestly enjoyed the vast majority of my character’s appearances on that show – Those I have enjoyed less so can probably be attributed to the complicated nature of the experience I mentioned before – Robin Lord Taylor is a fine actor; I feel, for the most part, very fortunate about my portrayal on the show.”
> 
> I asked then whether the show’s portrayal of his attraction to Edward Nygma was part of that ‘vast majority’ that he enjoyed: “It always has to be smut and gossip in that rag of a _Gazette_ , doesn’t it? I suppose it was pleasant to be given a love interest for once, if you can call the whole debacle that, given how I have generally been treated in media interpretations of myself. I do tend to fail to find enjoyment in storylines where success eludes me, however.” I used that opportunity to keenly enquire if he had wanted the storyline to ‘succeed’ then, even though it was a love story in which he was portrayed as queer. When he attempted to avoid answering the question by dealing with a matter amongst his staff I pressed further by asking his opinion on his character being made queer, especially in light of the increased LGBT traffic to the Iceberg Lounge over the past month since their authentic-or-otherwise kiss. “My establishment has always been welcoming to members of the LGBTQ+ community; you can check the records of our special events on the night of each year’s Gotham Pride parade, right back to the year we opened. I do not take kindly to such an implication we would ever exploit a minority group for business in such a way. And, if you had been paying any attention at all to Robin Lord Taylor’s interviews, my character on the show is not truly queer, as it were.”
> 
> I pressed him on the fact he was at least portrayed as having a same-sex attraction in the show however, and how he felt about that as a straight man. To that the Penguin made the rather telling remark, “I don’t believe I’ve ever made public comment on my preferences in that area.” I called out the implication of that particular statement, that in reference to his establishment’s open support of LGBT people it seemed only right to me that if the owner of said establishment was queer he ought to be open about it too.
> 
> The Penguin took a displeasure to the question, but after a number of pointed comments about unprofessionalism he nonetheless finally admitted, “If you... really must know, I suppose I’m... I also do not feel it quite appropriate to assign myself the label of ‘queer’ as I am not suitably aware of and involved in the community, but speaking purely in the realm of attraction my inclinations extend in both directions- or all, I should say. I feel lacking in confidence when it comes to the matter of giving it a label but...” He trailed off at that point, awkwardly shrugging and blushing.
> 
> In light of that fascinating revelation, I enquired if he had had contact with the writers of _Gotham_ for them to have made such a guess. He denied ever having had contact with anyone related to the show, and asserted that particular facet of his interpretation was entirely coincidence. When I asked if it bothered him, in light of the rumours that have been circling and questions he’d doubtless been asked, he made the rather rude remark, “The only time I have ever been bothered because of the show is this conversation we are presently having, you utterly tactless- Frankly, it would be an insult to vultures as a species to compare you to one. Robin Lord Taylor and the writers have been nothing but tactful and sensitive about that issue for the most part in their portrayal. It’s only unfortunate that, in real life, people like you exist.”
> 
> Sensing I may not have the opportunity for many more questions, I asked the most important one: If his feelings for Edward Nygma on the show were just another ‘coincidence’ the writers of _Gotham_ had managed to guess, or was there a reason the two of them were being so elusive on the topic?
> 
> At this point I was forcibly ejected from the Iceberg Lounge and the interview was abruptly concluded.
> 
> Overall, I think we can safely say though that I must have touched a nerve there, Gothamites, to receive such a rejection from both parties. They may still be denying it, but I think we have all the pieces we need right here. This is one, of some might say many, puzzles from the Riddler that is far from difficult to work out.
> 
>  
> 
> (Editor’s note: The evening following the initial posting of this article, police arrived at Steve Turner’s house to find only a riddle in his place. After giving the riddle to Batman to solve, Steve was found at the location indicated suspended upside-down and naked. Combined with an envelope of incriminating evidence that we cannot disclose for legal reasons, Steve will be resigning from the Gotham Gazette effective immediately.)

~#~

She honked again.

“Oh please,” Oswald tutted. “I’m not attempting to steal your man from you, Juliet. I’m merely towelling him off.”

Juliet honked doubtfully of that.

“I have no need to steal Claudio; as it happens, I’m about to be joined by my own handsome, young man any moment now.” He gestured demonstrably at the distant sound of the Lounge front doors opening. “See? And now, thanks to your diverting dialogue and your stubborn struggling, my fine fellow,” He tapped Claudio lightly on the beak, “I’m discourteously delayed. Do come in already!” Oswald called to the entrance area, standing with the towel folded over one arm and wash tub held aloft while the king penguins waddled off. He waited long enough to check the recognisably short, hooded figure was his expected guest before adding, “I need to dispose of this. One moment.”

One brief trip to the penguin-keeping utility room and a good hand-washing later Oswald re-emerged, rolling down his shirtsleeves and redressing in his waistcoat with experienced ease. He was suitably re-attired by the time he approached the centre of the Lounge again, taking in the scene before him with amusement.

Crouched at a respectful, or perhaps nervous, distance from the penguins with child-like awe, Robin Lord Taylor cooed to them a moment longer before startling back to standing as he realised he had company. “Sorry, it’s just- You really have real penguins! That’s so cool!” he apologised with a glee that was simply endearing, before he waved a rather nervous, “Hi~!” with both hands in front of him, staying at a distance from this Penguin as well.

“Greetings.” Oswald walked over to him at a casual speed, hoping to soothe the boy’s uneasiness. “Safe journey, I presume?”

“Yeah, no. I mean, it’s not far from New York. I-I parked where you said, and I don’t think anyone recognised me.” One awkward hand was restyling his hair now his hood had been pushed off. “Were you, um- Were you bathing them?” he pointed with interest to the penguins still waddling around the main carpeted area of the Lounge with them.

“In nature king penguins bathe every morning in the sea for an hour. Even if their habitat here is far cleaner they still need to be bathed every so often- Well, they don’t need to be but they enjoy it, so they insist.” Claudio and Juliet continued preening and shaking their towel-dried feathers out near one of the tables.

Robin chuckled, then noticed the new friend that had waddled up to his feet, staring all the way up to his with keen, black eyes. “Aw, hello!” Crouching down at a more friendly height prompted a wide raising of both flippers and a replying honk from the Humboldt penguin. Robin gasped; “Was it saying hello back?”

“Penguins are remarkably intelligent aves; I believe what may account for that individual’s behaviour is their ability to recognise themselves in mirrors.” At the confused look he got, Oswald sighed before explaining, “Edward, in one of his more perverse moods, a couple of years ago took it upon himself to rename our Humboldt penguins. That fellow swimming around over there,” He indicated the pool, “was designated ‘Cory’, while your smaller, darker admirer received the sobriquet ‘Robin’.”

There was that loveable, child-like glee again. “You mean-?!” Robin pointed to himself.

Oswald nodded to another Humboldt sitting further away. “He named the one female ‘Smaylor’ in theme.” That raised laughter. “I rescued our new addition beside her from a similar iniquity by insisting on the name ‘Christopher’,” The tiny ball of greyish-brown and white fluff nearby let out a small but impressive squeak as if on cue, “after young Martín’s actor.”

“Oh my God!” Robin intoned with camp disbelief. “I read about the egg in that interview but- Is it okay to take photos of them? I’ve got to show to the others!” Oswald gestured for him to go ahead, watching Robin dig out his phone and do a poor David Attenborough as he went about attempting to get a good photo of each. His own penguin followed at his heels, enough that at the end, “Is it okay to touch them, you know, put my arm around him or something?” he asked.

“You’ll likely want to wash your hands afterwards but certainly.”

The penguin practically climbed up into Robin’s lap when offered an invitation, after a long while staring at Robin’s face intently even turning to face the phone’s camera for a perfect selfie.

“Robin the penguin and Robin the Penguin,” Oswald suggested, watching over the scene with light amusement.

“Yes! That’s perfect!”

“You may,” Oswald interrupted quickly, having no idea how long these Instagram things took, “wish to refrain from posting it for now, until you have made your exit,” he advised. “It would rather render redundant the effort of getting you here safely and unknown to announce it so flagrantly right away.”

“Ah, that’s true.” Robin put his phone away, mood dropping slightly for the first time. It was a little uncomfortable to have had to cause that, especially on the tail of utilising the penguins to put the lad at ease and break the metaphorical ice, but as with many things Oswald simply acknowledged the necessity with a silent sigh. “Do you mind if I-?” Robin managed to gesture to his hands, indicating the need to wash the natural oils of the penguin’s feathers off. Oswald led him to the sink behind one of the closest bars. “Man, I wish we had the budget to have real penguins in the Lounge on the show.”

“They do require rather considerable upkeep,” Oswald commented, giving a pointed look down to Robin the penguin who had stopped beside his feet in following his new favourite human around. That Robin glanced up at him innocently for a moment, before Oswald found a freshly-washed, more human appendage extended into his line of sight.

Oswald took Robin’s hand to shake, expecting the startle as Robin went to pull his hand away like so many others. To his credit though, once instinct passed Robin shook his hand as if he were shaking any other one. “Sorry. Forgot about that.”

“No matter; I’m accustomed to such reactions.” Oswald held up one hand, giving Robin a clear look at his ectrodactyly-deformed digits. “I suppose as this is a lounge it would be highly remiss of me not to offer you a drink before we get down to business.”

“This is so cool; I get to have a drink at the _actual_ Iceberg Lounge!” Robin accepted a little giddily; oh, the other cast members were going to be _so_ jealous. “Is it true you have themed drinks based on all the rogues?”

“Designed by them, actually,” Oswald corrected. “I believe you of all people deserve one of mine however. You won’t find my signature drink on the list with the rest; my bartenders only make it upon my own, special request.” He took pride in the small, properly appreciative noise as he waddled around to the other side of the bar and began digging through the cabinet of glasses for two appropriate to the task.

“Wait, _you’re_ making it for me?!”

“My staff don’t come in till late afternoon; I’m no slave-driver.” Oswald straightened back up and set two rather shapely highball glasses on the bar top. “I do pitch in at times, you know; when one particularly virulent virus was going about the city a few years back I even helped out bussing tables.”

Robin laughed. “You’re kidding!”

“I take a pleasure in doing things with my own hands. As you’ve had plenty of chance to experience, leaving things to the hands of others too often results in betrayal.” Not wishing to keep the bitter tone hovering long, Oswald set to fetching two small pitchers of chilled liquid from one of the fridges, deep purple and slightly off-colourless mixing to a dark aubergine in the glasses not unlike the plumage of the Humboldt penguins wandering around. To that, Oswald added a thick, milk-like cream while each was held at a tilted angle. The effect, when righted, was to let the creamy fluid run down one side of the glass, swelling towards the bottom in a familiar, stomach-like pattern. Finally Oswald finished each with half an orange wedge as a garnish, “They’re likely a little dry, being in there since last night, but they’ll suffice for decoration,” notched to rest at the top of the white front of the drink like a cute, little beak.

“Ho-Holy crap!” Robin laughed again, practically bouncing on the other side of the bar. “That’s amazing!” And of course it required another picture for Instagram later. “I don’t think I even want to drink it – It looks too good!”

“I would advise you to get over that aversion fast, my friend; the separation won’t last long.” Already he could see the two liquids beginning to bleed a soft magenta around their edges. “The recipe is non-alcoholic,” he thought it prudent to add at this time of the morning.

“Oh good- No, I’ve got this part!” Robin insisted, taking both glasses with great care. “I waited tables at one point; it’d be nice to put it to good use again. Where are we sitting?” He looked around the expansive floor area, let alone the booths and upper area.

“Over there?” Oswald picked out a rather non-descript table not far away, only notable for being amongst the small milling of penguin activity as they waddled, preened and generally enjoyed having free range of the place for a while.

Robin set the drinks down across from one another, a set-up still intimate enough considering the small size of the particular table. He settled into his seat still fascinated with his own drink, turning it this way and that briefly before accepting how much he did want to have a taste.

Sipping his own, Oswald waited with one slightly raised eyebrow as Robin lifted and carefully downed a good amount of both parts of the drink, releasing an almost heady, “Wow!” as his verdict. “What is that? It tastes like fruit juice, cream and toothpaste!”

“Astute assumptions, although I’m afraid I can’t give away the recipe, you understand.”

“Not even to a fellow Penguin?” Robin tried flashing a hopeful smile.

“We all have to have our secrets.” Oswald nodded conspiratorially before taking a drink from his own; a piquant, Antarctic ice cream float was how he personally would describe it.

He observed Robin taking a more considered second taste, frowning over the glass with deep scrutiny for a moment, before he letting the matter go. “Well,” Robin began, smoothing his hands over the tabletop, “I know I already said it, like, a million times in my messages but thanks again so much for agreeing to meet me like this. When the team got in touch with Gotham’s authorities they advised us to, you know, keep a low profile and not draw your attention for our safety. I mean, I guess I don’t have to worry about that so much compared to the others, but it didn’t feel right to phone up and be like, “Hi, I’m going to be acting as you on TV soon. Is that okay with you?”” he said, complete with a phone-shaped hand held up to his ear.

Oswald chuckled along. “Yes, I’ve heard of the guidelines the city press department gives out to film studios and such looking to represent our _unique_ urban utopia.”

“I mean, considering some of the stuff the Riddler- Um, Edward?” Robin checked. “Has said about Cory...”

“Ah, you can tell him not to worry; Edward may talk in such a way, even threateningly, but he bears no actual intent to harm his actor. He’s aware Cory is not the one to blame for much of his character on the show, nor do I think he minds that much considering the whole thing is a form of attention. It’s simply his way of blowing off steam, as it were, given the show touches on a number of sensitive issues for him.”

“Does it? I thought, you know, since we completely made most of it up – The stuff like him working for the GCPD, his love interests – and we avoided things like his childhood it’d be okay.”

Oswald hemmed for a few moments, attempting to put this delicately for the sake of his friend. “While that is true, you nonetheless managed to inadvertently touch on other subjects by coincidence that hold rather uncomfortable memories and associations for Edward.” Again waving off Edward holding any deliberate malice about it, “It’s too late now; simply carry on as you are.”

“Okay, um,” Robin fidgeted with his wedding ring nervously, watching it turn about his finger. “I-I’m guessing the whole relationship fiasco thing between you and him on the show wasn’t one of them? You know, considering the two of you, at the season finale party...”

“If Edward is in any way upset by that it would only be that you ‘sunk the ship’, as I believe it’s termed.”

“A-Ah,” Leaning in across the table a little more earnestly, “I did actually- Well, the _Gotham_ team have been in a bit of a... _panic_ ,” Robin admitted diplomatically, “about how ‘real’ that whole stunt was, if we’d upset you both. That is, in part, why I asked to come meet you now after all this time, although I always did want to meet you just because, you know.” He gestured to the mighty cultural figure sitting opposite him.

“We certainly didn’t mean to panic you- Well, Edward may have, but still,” Oswald replied.

“I mean, don’t get us wrong,” Robin interjected. “The popularity buzz has been great, especially for getting people excited about season five. But a lot of it’s been people insisting we have to revive Nygmobblepot- Oh, um-” Oswald gestured he knew what that meant. “Anyway, we really want that to just be settled and, you know, move on with the characters, tell some other stories. But since they were worried it might have, like, offended the two of you or something-”

“Ah.”

“That’s why we haven’t put out an official reaction to it yet,” Robin explained. “Also ‘cause I think we’re all still freaking out to know you guys actually watch our show!” he added less gravely, laughing. “I have to say everyone’s feeling a lot more pressure to really nail the final season now. I know I certainly am; I guess that’s kinda why I wanted to meet you too, now I know you’re watching, you know, if there’s anything about my portrayal that makes you uncomfortable or that you don’t want us to do in season five or- Sorry, I’m rambling now.” He waved his hands in front of him with rather hasty laughter.

“I don’t mind at all, my dear fellow.” Oswald tried to soften his body language the best he could, gaze flicking to the slight tremor in the hand picking up Robin’s drink to soothe a no-doubt uncomfortable and dry throat. “Although you did throw out rather a number of quaquaversal queries there; which would you like answered first?”

“Oh. Um...” Robin considered for a moment. “I guess one of the things I care about most, personally, is that I totally don’t – If this is the case – want us to be capitalising on a real life relationship, particularly a queer one, just for profit and/or publicity on our part. So, erm, you absolutely don’t have to answer this if it’s uncomfortable or not something you want to talk about with me but-”

“Was our kiss an actual declaration we have feelings for one another?” Oswald guessed.

“Y-Yeah. I noticed you deliberately didn’t confirm or deny it in that interview about the whole thing – Also, by the way, that guy was a total dick to you and I’m sorry for any part we had in that. I wouldn’t normally agree with the criminal things you actually get up to in real life but I’m not going to condemn the Riddler for that one.”

Oswald chuckled. “Yes; here’s to the day they learn our sexualities are not their paycheque. You can stop being so deferential, by the way, all this apologising,” he thought to mention; “you don’t survive in this sort of life without developing a thick skin for these things.”

“Still,” Robin motioned that he wanted to.

Before beginning on the answer everyone wanted to know Oswald had to sigh lightly, rubbing at his forehead. “Yes, we neither confirmed or denied it in the interview. That wasn’t a prepared plan on our part; the simple fact is that, as ludicrous as it may sound, we don’t know ourselves entirely what that... offhand osculation meant. I’m aware many people took it at face value and believe us to be in a relationship of some sort now, especially since we both effectively came out in that interview. The fact of the matter is that Edward and I are not, however. Although...” He simply gave a heavy exhale that said the rest for him.

“It’s okay- I’m so sorry if bringing all this up is uncomfortable for you, after that interview. I totally understand if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“I have no objection to discussing the matter with _you_ , knowing you have nothing but good intentions in asking.” With a pinched sigh, “I doubt I’ve heard the last of it from the rest of them however, given I gave no firm label, as it were.”

“You don’t owe them one. You don’t even need to have one for yourself personally, so long as you’re comfortable.”

“They’ll only persist in pursuing me until I provide one; it may be simpler to bite the bullet on these things.” Oswald breathed in deeply again, adjusting his monocle for something to fidget with in territory he was the far more alien to. “I suppose I’ll use the label ‘bisexual’, however de facto it may be closer to how you’ve often answered on behalf of your character that gender simply doesn’t matter to me. I’m a little old to feel comfortable with labels such as ‘demisexual’ and ‘pansexual’; for all I understand them, they simply feel too... modern for me? You might argue such things aren’t important but I don’t believe it behoves my reputation to employ colloquial vernacular like ‘YOLO’ or ‘Netflix and chill’, for everyone’s sake.”

“No, but I really wish I was recording this right now,” Robin agreed, truly trying his best to contain the laughter threatening to crack out of his tightly-held grin. “You do, uh, you do know what that second one...?” Given Oswald’s blank expression, Robin both chuckled and groaned. “It, um, it doesn’t mean what it says on the tin.”

“... _Oh_.” Oswald’s terse tone suggested he suspected the general area the true meaning fell within, if not the particulars.

Robin behaved himself again after a moment’s indulgence in the surreal hilarity of the situation. “Sorry, sorry. I have to admit I’m personally glad, from the perspective of being your actor; you know, I always get these messages that are like, “I don’t mind you making Penguin gay – I’m not homophobic or anything – but I don’t think it’s right for you to be changing ‘canon’”,” He added quoties into his already rather camply intonated quotation. “Like, I get the idea it might make you all uncomfortable some of the things we assert on the show, but that’s always the one single thing they pick on; I’ve never had anyone saying that sort of thing about what we made up for your parents for instance, or anything about the other characters.”

“Ah, you needn’t fear in that regard; we all have the capacity to understand much of what you’re asserting is intentionally fictional.” Oswald took care observing Robin’s more comfortable posture, the tension of earlier mostly melted away now.

“Although I should say,” Robin continued, “I don’t think all this’ll change anything in the show at this point; it’s a bit late in the game, this being the final season and all, and we want to keep that degree of fiction in there.”

“Of course, and I wouldn’t want you to,” Oswald deferred politely. “I believe you’ve done enough to set rumours concerning my sexuality and romantic life running by now anyway.”

“Oh God, you don’t mean- Have you been getting...?!”

Oswald shrugged the matter off, uncomfortable at the genuine concern he was receiving for once. “I hope the fact of my actual coming out will separate the matter, for the both of our sakes.”

“I’m so sorry; we had no idea people would actually take anything from it and think it was real.” Again, Oswald shrugged in a way that suggested it always happened. “I mean, we explicitly tried to downplay Oswald being explicitly gay on the show just in case. We weren’t sure how you’d react to it or the feelings we gave you for Ed either, if you heard somehow; I certainly didn’t think you’d ever actually _watch_ it!”

“Please. I think we all make an effort to observe anything we’re featured in; if we didn’t care for the attention we wouldn’t be pratting around the streets at night in costumes and silly names.” On a more serious note, “No, I certainly have no qualms with your portrayal of myself in that regard; it’s actually a far more accurate portrayal than the comics that previously gave me typical female love interests and such.”

“Oh yeah, I read some of those!” Robin leant in, eager to fanboy it up. “Those were, like, the only thing we could find that made any reference to your romantic life when we were researching for that part of the story. We kind of figured they probably weren’t the most reliable source though.”

“No, I must say the source of some of your... I have to ask,” Oswald interrupted: “Why did you give me a limp in your interpretation? I know I’m noted for... waddling,” he admitted with a little discomfort, “but that’s far from a limp.”

“Oh yeah, I meant to ask too when I saw you walking about earlier; you don’t, like-? What’s actually, you know...?”

“A congenital deformity of my pelvic bones.”

“Ohh!”

“It’s on my Wikipedia page!” Oswald practically squawked.

“Well, that’s hardly the most reliable source of information either, we figured. And, well, _fictional_ ,” Robin defended with both palms upturned in surrender.

“Still, I find it a rather interesting decision that, in that case, you chose to present me as having a same-sex attraction.”

“Well – And this isn’t, you know, an official thing I actually asked the writers about – I think they added that storyline in, or took it that way maybe I should say, because of the chemistry between me and Cory in season two. It’s like Ed’s whole storyline with Kristen Kringle in season one wasn’t originally going to be there but they rewrote it that way after seeing the characters together once we started filming. I think they wanted to demonstrate how confused Oswald is about what love is-”

“And have me once again lose or betrayed by any character I form any sort of close, convivial connection with,” Oswald added a little pointedly. Given the awkward pause it created, “...You always say that, that I’m not truly queer or gay but instead simply emotionally damaged and such-”

“Okay, you’ve got to stop saying ‘I’; all of that’s just about how I play you on the show,” Robin interjected, although backed down a little at how forcibly he’d begun. “I didn’t mean anything to do with you in real life-”

Oswald held up a hand with enough composed dignity to silence him. “Robin, many of my- Actually, I believe nearly all of the people I consider my friends, the other rogues that is, are queer in one way or another. Most of them are just as, or even more, emotionally damaged and mentally unhealthy as your portrayal of myself. We all still want love and companionship like any other human however; to say we don’t deserve or should not have it because we’re damaged in ways that cannot be fixed... Although I know it wouldn’t have been your intention in saying such things, those comments can be a little... uncomfortable to our ears, that you think of us like that.”

Robin took his time before replying, settling into serious-mode as he lost his smile and eager posture for something more adult all of a sudden. He looked his 40 years for once as he answered, “Real life and fiction are a different thing, Oswald. It’s important to me to see positive queer representation in media; the Ed-Oswald relationship on the show was inherently unhealthy after all they’ve been through individually. Yes, in real life, there are people in queer relationships that are unhealthy just like heterosexual couples, but with a TV show we have to think of the messages we’re sending.”

“Well, that explains all the unhealthy heterosexual pairings on the show,” Oswald said a little glibly. “No, I have no objections to the way you handled the matter of our relationship on the show. Edward said something to the effect that since all of his love interests on the show had a habit of dying he was also rather glad about that; I have no doubt it would have ended disastrously given the 200 litres of drama you insist on drowning everything in on that show.” He drew a smile from Robin again at that. “However...” Oswald sighed, pressing his hands together on the table before him with the tension of a difficult subject. “This is... not something I am very comfortable admitting; I have never imparted this particular personal information to anyone, not even Edward.” He had to look away, even if Robin was only leaning in with earnest concern. “When I attested _Gotham’s_ portrayal of my life in that area was more accurate than anything previously I did not mean simply in the matter of sexuality. My real life romantic experiences have been... Well, ones that left me with similar sentiments to those you’ve expressed on the show. Not so much concerning the early season three matter of whether I understand love or not, which I believe I hopefully do, but later when you...” He chewed on one thumb. When Robin went to speak Oswald waved him quiet; the actor was simply too innocent and well-meaning about these things. “During the era of my life you are portraying, or more accurately my entire time from university to my recent reform, I did forcibly impose upon myself the belief that love was a weakness. The same with any form of sexual or romantic attraction. I was... perhaps still am, rendered to some degree asexual by experiences of my past, Robin. It can be deeply uncomfortable having you mention such a thing so openly on the show and in interviews.”

“Oh God, I’m so sorry,” Robin hurried to apologise. “If we’d known-”

“Of course you didn’t know, and so long as no one else does I can bear the discomfort,” Oswald interrupted simply to cut off such uncomfortably kind sympathy. “The assertions I’ve heard you give, that my experience on the show is not one any queer person should have and that I am not emotionally healthy enough to be with anyone... It’s why I’ve made no move in conveying my feelings for Edward to him; the real life circumstances are far too similar, sadly.”

“You really do...?” Robin dared to ask. Oswald still had his mouth covered with one hand though, one he didn’t seem inclined to move. “...The kiss; apparently it was Edward’s idea, right? He didn’t, like, push you into it, did he? Do you think he was aware of your feelings?” Robin checked.

Oswald sighed again, removing his hand down to lean his chin heavily on. “I haven’t been kissed in decades. Never by someone who truthfully cared about me actually, although I don’t wish to get into those stories now.” The deeply uncomfortable set of his shoulders said enough. “The experience did render me unnerved and certainly in unfamiliar territory. I didn’t perceive the whole event as exploitative in any manner however as I knew Edward, at least in part, reciprocated some feelings for me. As much as it was a stunt, it was a genuine kiss as well.”

“I thought you hadn’t talked about it- About your feelings, that is?”

“We know each other well, my boy,” Oswald chuckled; “I can tell.”

The subject was a rather awkward one for two strangers, attested to by Robin passing the halfway point of his drink to fill a moment while he prepared to speak. But from a small sense of responsibility, and the natural human impetus of curiosity, “How long have you felt this way about Edward? Was it- I mean, you know, it wasn’t just our show that made you feel like this surely?”

“No, certainly not.” Oswald sipped at his own drink, but there were some things you could only talk to a stranger about- Or when you had such a gossipy circle of friends as his at least. “ _Gotham_ was certainly not the genesis of these feelings – Speaking personally at least – but it was perhaps the thing that finally spurred the two of us to realise what was already there and spend enough time together for it to germinate. Do you know much about our actual history, your show team?”

“No,” Robin admitted in a slight realisation of surprise. “I think they put them together in season two just to propel their individual character arcs, and because, you know, there was some chemistry there in our first meeting.”

Oswald couldn’t help a dignified snort. Knowing it needed explanation, “I apologise. It’s simply an amusement to hear that considering the fact Edward and I absolutely hated each other upon our first meeting and subsequent few, due to unfortunate happenstance – Attempting to raid the same museum at the same time, finding out you’re both squatting in the same penthouse hideout; you know how it is,” he joked with a slight air of wry camp. “We only grew to become amiable associates in business upon realising our corresponding skillsets, then with time and a few good betrayals and backstabs, friends.”

“How many times did you try to kill each other?” Robin asked light-heartedly, seizing on the easier mood.

“Ohh... Half a dozen?” Oswald had to guess. “It’s been a while,” he excused his poor memory. “That’s all behind us now, and has been for a good many years. I never...” he began, hesitating that he had cut Robin off but being gestured to continue. “I never quite understood why, when our friendship became more than what we share with the other members of our group. But seven years ago, when I realised I was getting too old for this game and finally wanted out, Edward was the one I discussed the matter with. He was the one who allowed me to make the decision to reform. _He_ was the one who visited _me_ in Blackgate, visits and gifts I wouldn’t have made it through without. Although no origami penguins,” he added a little whimsically, an attempted deflection of humour amongst the uncomfortably serious emotions. “Edward entrusts everything of his to me each time he returns to Arkham, or if anything were to happen to him personally. And I would do the same, ignoring legal issues of criminal insanity. We both have other friends, ones with whom we share much more in terms of interests and life experiences, but perhaps that is the basis of it, that the only thing bringing us together is each other’s self.”

“Will you do the same for him, you know, when he finally stays in Arkham and goes through the treatment- Are they even allowed visitors there?”

“Yes, and it’s a matter of ‘if’ not ‘when’,” Oswald answered. “Of course I would return the favour, if Edward wished for it. Although, in what capacity...” His hands continued to fidget on the tablecloth, thumbs swirling around each other. “Unlike your versions, we have all this to our relationship long before romantic feelings came into the fact. I doubt we will be able to deny them now that they’re there and known, but I believe we both fear acting upon them for the similar reasoning that one poor move – Something I believe your show has left us both in fear we will very likely make – and we may lose all this. Our relationship has been comfortably familiar and solid, reliable, for many years; the potential loss of that is not worth the risk, not with how much a truly reliable friendship means in our kind of life. So the elephant in the room remains, behind a door we dare not open.”

“Do you really think it could destroy your whole friendship after just one mistake?” Robin asked. “On the show it was, like, they’d only known each other on-and-off for a year or so, maybe only a few months actually in each other’s company. I wouldn’t say their friendship was anything like what you’ve described.”

“Not in and of itself, perhaps,” Oswald would admit. “But I, personally, have refrained after consideration of the fact Edward does have legitimate emotional intimacy issues, among other problems. I don’t believe Edward knows what he feels or wants personally himself – And I’ve learnt with good certainty that when Edward Nygma doesn’t know something he’ll never allow even the slightest hint of that fact out – to account for him being so evasive on this issue. I’m prepared to allow Edward as much time as that takes, even if I’m not getting any younger.”

“Well, maybe you could, you know, encourage him to go into Arkham voluntarily?” Robin suggested. “Maybe they could help him, if you think he’d have difficulties in an actual relationship.”

“Your high over-estimations of Arkham’s aptitude aside,” Oswald dismissed wryly, “we did attempt to discuss the matter that night of the kiss, after we retired upstairs to my suite.”

“Wait, Edward stayed the night after he kissed you?” Robin shuffled forward eagerly, previous decorum lost to the possibility of juicy gossip.

Oswald rolled his eyes briefly. “He invited himself upstairs for a slumber party, yes – Not something we’re in the habit of, I should say. He further invited himself into sharing my bed, not that anything of the kind you’d like happened in there.” He hated to disappoint, but sadly it was the honest truth. “We did attempt to discuss our feelings, by use of your show as a proxy; over time it has evolved into our method by which we can tease and flirt with one another, or discuss potential issues of a relationship – I meant to say, I believe much of Edward’s animosity towards Cory and your writers simply stems from an unfair expression of those problems he identifies in himself and in a potential relationship with me – But for all it has allowed us to safely touch at the issue, I believe it may well have become a habitual defence mechanism preventing us from actual discussion at this point.”

Robin had to consider his words for a long moment before he tentatively suggested, “Are you sure it _is_ a good idea to actually try and get into a relationship with him? I mean, you know,” he attempted to justify, “it’s not very healthy behaviour taking things out on people from a TV show or avoiding talking about something like this.”

“True as that may be, I’m hardly the healthiest fellow either mentally.” Oswald peered into the depths of what remained of his drink, the murky cloud that had settled at the bottom where light and dark had mixed together. “You always cite our problems on the show as a lack of love that forms us into monsters; that’s certainly not incorrect. But that’s not something people have a choice about in real life, Robin, as cruel as the reality may be. I’d like to hope I don’t also have to let my love life in real life be written off completely by the same fact.” He set the glass down, returning to a lighter smirk. “Besides, it’s not as if I have other options, unlike a popular and attractive actor.”

“Hey, you could get someone else!” Robin insisted with pep. “You’re totally good-looking; don’t put yourself down.”

Oswald scoffed. “Please. I’m the furthest thing in the world from attractive.”

“I was overweight as a kid; I got bullied for that too so I know what- Well, all right, it’s not the exact same,” Robin muddled his way through justifying, gesturing with slightly over-dramatic hands.

“Truly?”

“Yeah, back in Iowa. As if growing up queer wasn’t bad enough.”

“I was unaware of that,” Oswald said, an even deeper fondness taking root in his voice. Robin gave a sort-of-shrug, sort-of-nodding incline of his head that it was somewhat uncomfortable but true. “Well,” Oswald moved on, taking a different tone, “I suppose I should have been able to predict your positive perception of my personage given that little game of ‘Mate, matrimony, murder’ you and your fellow cast members played, although with cruder terms.”

It took a good long moment for Robin to even work out what Oswald was referring to, an utterly puzzled state Oswald deeply enjoyed in anticipation of the moment the penny finally dropped, when the memories of a certain filmed game of ‘Fuck, marry, kill’ crashed all over Robin’s face in a vibrant pink blush. “Oh God! You’ve seen that?!”

“Now I suppose you could have been referring to your own version of myself but that hardly makes the matter any less deviant.” Oswald held back his laughter to truly relish this moment.

“Oh my God! Stop! Now!”

Well, that took all the fun away when the lad buried his face in his hands like that. While Robin was busy blushing himself to death, Oswald took the chance to press his advantage home by mentioning oh-so-casually, “I really should have expected it from you I suppose, Robin, given some of your other proclivities. I mean cat ears, honestly...”

“Stop... Please...”

Oswald allowed himself to laugh now, watching as Robin died again upon the white tablecloth; a little beforehand reading up could be _so_ worthwhile sometimes.

He gave Robin his dignity back by glancing away for a while, allowing the other to drain most of his remaining drink for strength, then spend some time groaning and breathing deeply before, “Right,” Robin looked mostly composed again as he spoke once more. “Back on the subject of you-”

“You know, I always did want to enquire if you have a matching tail to complete the set-”

“Back on the subject of you!” Robin insisted with a fierce embarrassment, slapping his hands repeatedly on the tabletop. “I know this is a weird subject change to bring back up but I want to make clear I do want you to be happy, Oswald, and you know the real Edward a lot better than I do. So if you do...”

“Love him?” Oswald suggested. “I should be brave, run to him, not make the same mistakes you did?” He was being humorous, but still. “Edward is no ‘one true love’ of mine; I may be a similarly emotional and romantic person in real life but I’m no fool. What we are – What we are on _Gotham_ as well truly – is simply two very broken individuals who understand and care about one another with an absence of anyone else we feel this way about.”

“Do you think they should have gotten together on the show, I mean if it had been possible?” Robin enquired purely as a point of curiosity.

“I don’t know... As I said earlier, it would doubtless have resulted in some other form of terrible ending for us had you, which is something I’m glad not to have seen. Besides, would the fact of our support or a real life relationship between Edward and I actually affect anything for you, given your ardent adherence to separation of the two?”

“Well, for the record, I don’t know where season five is going as I haven’t got the scripts yet; they’re still being written right now. So I guess we could, you know, try and pull something to make it work,” Robin said, “but we don’t have as many episodes this time and all the other characters need their time so-”

Oswald held up a hand that there was no need. “After everything so far, there’s an ample amount of adversity that would need to be worked through to realistically have us enter a relationship; I won’t ask for the impossible here.”

“Oh totally,” Robin agreed. “There’s just not time to do the ship justice anymore, whatever we might want. Not in this show at least.”

Oswald chuckled almost bitterly. “Ah, the fittingness of how, when there’s finally a chance, it’s too late to take it.” At Robin’s raised eyebrow. “It reflects how I feel about the matter of having a relationship in real life. Not simply with Edward but with anyone now.”

“Real life doesn’t have to be like that; you’ve got plenty of time left, Oswald.” His comments only served to embarrass though, dismissed with another wave of Oswald’s hand. “You know, maybe it’s better we don’t do anything else with Oswald’s love life on the show, give you some space to decide stuff without feeling pressured by what we’re doing.”

“True,” Oswald accepted a little more positively. “I certainly wouldn’t want you shoehorning the thing in simply because of us – Yet again, I notice you also chose to ignore Jonathan and Jervis’ relationship or leave it pure implication. Was that a matter of discomfort, positive representation or it being too private?” He quickly shook his head that Robin didn’t need to answer that, he was only making a point.

“I’m sorry,” Robin apologised again about the whole thing. “You and Edward just wouldn’t fit now, yeah. And it deserves more emotional depth and time than we could give it, after all this stuff you’ve said.”

Oswald nodded. “Could you at least give us a resolution, do you think? Preferably partial to each other once again, perhaps?”

“Oh definitely! Cory and I really want more scenes together, something that either brings them together as friends or else separates them for good. I think we’ve done enough of the back-and-forth stuff now.”

“Good. In real life we’ve actually spent much of our time simply circling one another’s lives, neither in love nor hate.” He watched what little was left of his drink as he swirled it in his glass, dark and light completely mixed into a soft purple now. “I should say, I believe Edward echoes my views. He may not be especially enthused about the direction you have chosen to take our journeys in as individuals, but he sees sense on the matter at least.”

“What about you?” Robin clarified, “Are you, you know... What do you think of where we’ve taken Oswald’s character on the show, his arc and stuff?”

“Your interpretation as a whole?” Robin nodded, eagerly leaning forward on folded arms to hang on Oswald’s every word. “Well, I suppose I must credit you for one thing; it’s quite the achievement to be able to cause someone to stop rooting for _themself_ in something.”

“Aw, you’re not rooting for me anymore?” Robin took the thing as a joke.

“I’ve learnt every time I succeed I’m doomed to lose everything again before long; it simply becomes rather tedious as a viewer,” Oswald answered in a completely serious tone. “And apropos the matters we’ve discussed thus far, to be one of the few main characters without a reciprocated love interest reminds me a little uncomfortably of my real life loneliness.” He sighed. “There’s also the matter of all the times I’ve heard you utter phrases such as ‘weird’ or ‘eccentric’ during discussion in interviews-”

“I’m just talking about the character, not you!” Attempting to soften it, Robin tried for a smile.

“This isn’t like the matter of Edward and I; this is me,” Oswald simply responded, edging his posture more with one shoulder turned to Robin. “...Is this truly how the general populus out there sees me, what they think I deserve?” He noted Robin’s hands smoothing over the tabletop, preparing for one of his replies like at all those far-too-innocent convention Q&As. “You have said I will end the show a ‘monster’, ‘pure evil’, who has lost the last of his humanity,” he cut across the table. “You’ll have to forgive me if the selection of interviews I’ve seen has done you an injustice, Robin, but you seem to support the fact I will always inevitably lose, that you endorse it sending a message that such a life path brings no results and most of all doesn’t deserve to be happy. Is that how you also see the real life version sitting before you?”

“N-No!” Robin grasped at. “It’s different- I mean, you know, you’re reformed and all; you’ve changed from the Oswald I’m playing.”

“Then what is your opinion on my unreformed friends? Say, perhaps, Edward given your less-than-at-ease comments regarding him so far?”

“Well... you know,” Robin shrugged very uneasily, fidgeting with his wedding ring in a nervous tic. “He _is_ a criminal.”

“And so was I.”

“But you’re not anymore.”

Oswald didn’t answer that one, simply letting the question settle where it lay. “...In any case, I do at least appreciate you making me sympathetic along the way to that ‘pure evil’ ending, when compared to the many other cruel, irredeemable versions of myself I’ve suffered the pleasure of seeing.”

“You know, after I heard you were watching _Gotham_ I wanted to ask what you thought of those other representations of you; it was mainly those I studied for the role actually instead of actual accounts as I didn’t want to feel pressured into what was, you know, accurate to real life or not.”

“Oh certainly. I don’t believe many of them pay actual attention to the truth anymore; I‘m not sure whether to be glad or not about these ‘larger than life’ images in media we’ve managed to gain.”

“I think it’s in the guidelines the city gives,” Robin mentioned; “something about not glamorising your actual crimes, or annoying you if we get things wrong. Besides, we’re in a different territory, you know, being an origin story and all. Even if it’s not accurate I was super-interested in the premise of exploring how this city made you all and turned you into pop culture staples.”

“I wouldn’t really credit the _city_ for us,” Oswald debated, casting a hesitant glance at his glass. “Well, unless there truly is something in the water here as they say.”

Robin chuckled. “But yeah, I wanted it to be a more sympathetic take now you’re reformed, and having read stuff in comics about your past to show why someone can end up that way if people are cruel to them- Presuming that stuff is all correct, you know.”

“For the most part,” Oswald answered a little uncomfortably.

“While we’re on the topic of your past,” Robin seized eagerly, “can I ask you a really fan-boy question?”

The enthusiasm was almost embarrassing, but the flattery was simply too nice to pass up. “Oh, go on.”

“How did you, like, come to _own_ the name ‘Penguin’? Both me and the viewers, you know, already came in with that association of how formidable it’s become so it was easy for me.” He was back to talking animatedly with his arms, gesturing after both of them to one of the nearby Humboldts. “Before you that’s all anyone thought of when they heard ‘Penguin’. But now I don’t think anyone can help but think of you.”

Oswald sighed lightly, reaching down a hand down to Robin the penguin who had returned to staring intently up at his human self after being gestured at. That Robin complied, placing a flipper into Oswald’s hand before allowing himself to be picked up and seated in Oswald’s lap. “I believed it to be a friendly nickname when I first received it as a child,” Oswald began, one nail preening some feathers of the cute, popular creature in his lap. “As an adolescent and young adult, when I learnt the truth, I had grown too angry about other things; it was simply another one on the pile by then. I suppose it was this city where I finally ‘owned’ it, as you say.”

Robin the penguin preened himself, correcting Oswald’s handiwork with a playful nibble at his flipper-like hands.

“I came here via business connections after university in England, already with a reputation for being able to work the less reputable side of business,” Oswald continued. “I was drinking at a notably notorious underworld bar, oh... Four or five years pre-Batman? Sometime around then in any case. Some ridiculous, feckless piece of muscle decided to take issue with my presence at the bar; I beat him and the two other ‘toughest’ regular patrons of that establishment up-”

“Whoa, wait! All that stuff about you knowing martial arts is true?!” Robin interjected.

“Oh yes. I didn’t spend my time sitting on an over-sized throne getting the likes of Victor Zsasz to fight my fights for me in real life, sadly for young Anthony. At any rate, once I had the largest down on the floor, face under the heel of my shoe, I recall saying to him, “You can call me the ‘Penguin’ if you like. After all, the most famous penguins are emperors for a reason,”” Oswald recounted with a dose of dramatic flair, although soon frowning slightly. “In retrospect I’m not certain that line ‘washes’, as it were, but the implication was successfully conveyed at the time. I believe that was where it started, and I built upon it from there.”

“Wow! Oh man, I wish we’d known about that to put it in the show!”

“It would have been pleasant to see from an external perspective, but I feel your writers did a fine job in any case. I have, as a general rule, enjoyed my portrayal on _Gotham_ , aforementioned aggravations aside,” he made clear on a more positive note. “It reminds me of the early years with the more light-hearted comics and TV shows. There seems to have been some trend to portray me more negatively post-reform these past seven years, of all things; I suppose they’re perhaps not afraid anymore. So your portrayal was a pleasant surprise. And a much more flattering one. ...Perhaps too flattering,” Oswald dared to add.

“Can a portrayal be ‘too flattering’?” Robin joked, buoyed by the praise himself.

“Well, if it causes the reality to look worse by comparison,” Oswald tried to pass off nonchalantly.

“...Oh.” His hands fidgeting again, “Do you... Are you with those people who say I’m too ‘cute’ to play you, then?” His attempt at a joke wavered weakly this time.

Oswald chuckled. “Perhaps. But I don’t find myself too willing to complain.”

“What about something like Danny DeVito’s portrayal?”

That question hung for far longer than could ever be comfortable. Robin began reaching for a joke about if the converse was true and the deformed, monstrous portrayals made the reality look better- “I certainly have nothing against the actor, as with you,” Oswald began, slowly. “That film... Any discomfort about my personal life when viewing your show is something I can bear; it’s part of my adult life I made my own choices over. But I can’t watch the start of that film, Robin,” Oswald confessed, shaking and lowering his head.

“You mean-?”

“For all your accidental accuracy in other areas, you were far off the mark with your portrayal of my parents in _Gotham_.”

“...Oh God.”

Both grew uncomfortable in the silence that followed, yet neither could speak. Robin stared into his empty glass, rolling it slowly in his palms, as if praying for the dregs to grow into something that he could swallow and wash away his discomfort. Oswald simply set Robin the penguin back down on the floor finally, allowing him to waddle away. “...I think I would have preferred to be raised by actual penguins,” Oswald mused in almost good humour.

Robin’s fingers tightened around the glass. “...I’m sorry,” he murmured. “When I think of how many years I’ve spent enjoying that film, when you...”

“Pay it no mind,” Oswald insisted. “The perils of representing a real person,” he said of the film, and the actor currently sitting across from him.

“You know, I think most of us forget there’s a real Gotham, just seeing all this stuff they produce about you,” Robin began more lightly. “I only started reading actual stories from the newspapers here when I got this role; before that it was just the comics and movies. Coming into this, you always felt like some distant threat I needed to please – I remember one of the runners joking if I worried about you coming after me or suing me for defamation early on – but I don’t remember being too worried about it.”

“From a legal position the majority of my felonious friends would find it difficult to mount legal challenges whilst still considered ‘criminally insane’ by the law,” Oswald broke one bit of good news. “Other forms of revenge however- Well, I think the worst you might experience is Edward hacking into your scripts to rewrite them, perhaps finally reduce Batman’s success rate down to the more accurate reality.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, that ‘ever-victorious’ vigilante only foils our schemes around one-tenth of the time in reality,” Oswald was glad to gripe. “Low-level thugs and criminals are different, perhaps. But he certainly doesn’t ‘always get his man’ when it comes to us rogues. But, of course, that wouldn’t make for enjoyable viewing to have the ‘hero’ lose, so naturally he always has whatever bat-whatsit he needs on his belt and just enough time to defuse the bomb with one second to spare.” He tutted, returning to the actual topic at hand. “Although none of us care for black and white portrayals of ourself without sympathy or humanity, I, at least, can accept... I was NOT a pleasant person before I reformed, particularly during the years of my life you are portraying.” He dropped his gaze away from Robin’s uncomfortably. “I am not proud of the person I was then, how I allowed myself to be controlled by emotion and selfish impulses; my only motivation for survival was an obstinate, vindictive need to make a statement and provocation to a world that had always wanted rid of me.” Oswald sighed, leaning heavily into one elbow on the table.

“When I was putting the character together, you know, I came at it from the motivation that Oswald never wanted to be bullied again, that he wanted to be the one in power now. Maybe that’s just because it’s something I had some experience with myself though,” Robin admitted.

“That was a part of it,” Oswald confirmed for him. “My true motivation was simply the desire to be able to be truly happy for the first time in my life; acquisition of power merely seemed the best method to achieve that. At least at that time.” He looked around his Lounge now, seeing where his penguin friends had waddled off to and appreciating its stillness before the crowds came that would fill it this and every other evening. “...The hardest part of the psychological therapy I finally submitted to in Blackgate during my reform was accepting how much I needed it, coming to terms with both how hurt I had been and felt, and that something could actually be done regarding my anger and emotional problems; it makes you feel utterly inadequate and idiotic for never having done anything about it at any time before once you find out it’s possible. I could almost relish those heartless, utterly evil portrayals of myself before then with a perverse delight,” His gaze finally returned to Robin across from him. “Now I can only feel an uncomfortable pity for them.”

“For mine too?”

“No, not for yours; I’m still quite obviously human in your portrayal. At least for now.”

“It...” Robin debated, but decided to say, “It must have been really hard, you know, going through that therapy; I mean, just trying to come at it from the mind-state I’ve had to be in acting some scenes.”

Rather than acknowledge that with more than the polite, “Thank you,” it deserved, Oswald asked with a pleasant degree of curiosity, “Am I difficult to understand or perform as, as an actor?”

“It is difficult when I have to do things like murder someone, yes; I don’t enjoy it like some of the fans I get who are like, “Oswald was so badass there! He’s a boss!”. I... I have to go to dark places, you know, remember what he’s been through and think about how hurt he is, how he’s had to learn to put himself first at the expense of everyone else after all he’s been through...” Robin stopped, looking from his fidgeting hands up to Oswald’s reaction. Oswald appeared at considerable ease, perhaps almost perplexed as he tried to imagine such a thing. “...Don’t... Please, don’t tell me how you felt when you used to...” Robin asked. “It wasn’t the same, was it?”

With sympathy, Oswald settled for a lightly joking, “Don’t worry; I wouldn’t want to disturb your ‘method’, my boy.”

“...It’s really hard, you know, whenever I see those tweets celebrating the stuff Oswald does on the show,” Robin confessed, “when they remind me there’s a real person who felt like that, and real people who died because of it. Sometimes I feel so bad about taking this role, having fun and making entertainment out of the horrible stuff that’s happened in this city- Not, you know- I hope that doesn’t come across as offensive to you or anything like that.” Oswald shook his head. “It’s like I said though; I have my reasons for wanting to do this anyway, to show the cruel behaviour that led to all this so we can hopefully learn from it.” Oswald held in a disbelieving snort; cynicism made that seem like beautiful naivety, but he couldn’t help envying it regardless. “I don’t think of you as a ‘bad guy’, Oswald, even if you’ve done some very bad things; I’ve said that before when people ask about this,” Robin continued. “But I feel like I can understand you, you know, even if I don’t sympathise with and support your choices.”

“Well, that’s a more amiable approach than most I receive,” Oswald supposed. And he sighed. “I do deserve a dismal destination on the show, considering the part of my life you’re portraying, uncomfortable as it is to admit.”

“I’m sorry,” Robin offered at the same time he smiled in agreement.

Such innocence again. He couldn’t fault it, but, “I do want to tell you something before you leave today however, Robin,” Oswald began seriously; “forgive me for the didactic diversion, but this is based in my superior experience both as myself and an older, wiser human being.”

His student sat forward eager to attend, if somewhat uncertain about how comfortable this was going to be to hear.

“You’ve often made reference to how I will or already have in part lost my humanity in discussion of the role,” Oswald started. “I wanted to tell you, because I sadly know this far better than you could or hopefully ever will, how truly terrible human beings can become without losing their humanity in the slightest. I have always been as human as I am sat before you now, even during the period when I murdered and tortured people. The Joker is still human despite what you may think or say of him; you have not seen that face-to-face as I have. That phrase allows you... civilians,” Oswald settled for diplomatically, “to look away from the fact it is people committing these atrocities, rather than accepting how horrible humanity can be to one another. I know you, very admirably, care about current politics deeply; know that the people committing the same preludes to atrocity in America and all over the ‘civilised’ world are human as well, not as an encouragement to reach out and reason with them but instead to remember they have every bit the same ability to be as cruel and sadistic as any terrible figure of history that committed genocide or started wars. I had that capacity for cold-bloodedness once, and, Robin, I still possess it now; all of those human beings out there are no different to myself.”

Moving to a slightly different track, “If anything, actually, I would care to contend that I have _gained_ in humanity throughout your portrayal on _Gotham_ : The Oswald you portrayed at the start was a desperate young man doing and willing to do anything to attain power. The Oswald where we have left off now is one willing to surrender his power for the safety of an orphan boy, whose goals focus around revenge of his beloved parents, and who has loved someone and even attempted to pursue that. Even if gaining power is involved in the pursuit of those goals, the goals themselves are nothing but human. He began seeking power for the reasons that animals pursue a higher position in the hierarchy, namely that such a position ensures survival; like an animal, all he cared of was survival for the pure sake thereof. I was the same in real life,” Oswald said, in case all this seemed like criticism. “But now power has become a means to human ends for your Oswald on the show. I also came to care about more in the same way, as I found people whom I cared about for the first time in my real life.

“Apropos what I alluded to earlier, I did not ‘lose my humanity’ after becoming the Penguin by losing people I cared about; I began without it in real life as I had no one who cared about me and no one I cared about in return- Well, no one that wasn’t lying to me or more than temporary in the end.” Pre-empting Robin’s concern, Oswald simply smiled. “I will never be in a situation where I can ‘lose my humanity’ on the show as long as there remain characters with whom I have an emotional connection, be that even just a rivalry or need to avenge a death on; those are feelings no animal has, that only humans are truly capable of.

“And even were I to ‘lose my humanity’ as you have foretold,” Oswald pressed home while he had Robin both rapt and on the ropes, “despite your assumed assertions otherwise, fans will still love me and root for me. Because there were still people willing to in real life, when I _was_ there, a monster of pure evil. Setting aside whatever confusing and tentatively amicable relations I have with the Joker, Jonathan was the first true and proper friend I ever made in my life, not long after his debut, although it may surprise people to learn that.”

“Jonathan Crane?”

“He was the third of us, after the Joker and I begun things. I attempted to take Jonathan under my control, intimidate him into working for me and treat him as every other fellow criminal I’d encountered up till that point; I deserved the fear toxin I received for such an oversight.” Oswald touched a hand to his forehead, sighing at such foolish youthful arrogance.

“What... What do you see with the fear toxin, if I can, you know?” Robin dared to ask, leaning forward over the table as if the Humboldt penguins would spill the beans if they didn’t sufficiently whisper.

Oswald merely tapped one fused finger against pursed, smirking lips. “Not even for you, my friend.”

“Aw, come on!”

“Have the pleasure of the toxin yourself and then perhaps we’ll see.” Now Oswald placed his chin into one palm, tilting it curiously. “What do you suppose _you_ would see?”

Robin swallowed nervously, acting skills momentarily deserting him.

“Well,” Oswald continued, “I will tell you it’s something that earned me Jonathan’s respect for my ability to confront it so regularly in my life. Although I had come with only threats and intentions of violence, he came to me a month later with a trick umbrella that could expel compressed gas as a goodwill gesture and also a deal to supply the canisters of gas it employs in return for procuring the rarer chemicals he requires for his experiments when he can pay. I still have that umbrella, and that deal with him. Even if it was only business...” He trailed off, fondly amused. “You know, some years ago when I was still,” He gestured for Robin to fill in the less-than-savoury blank, “I received injuries that required medical recuperation not unlike in season 2. But it wasn’t Edward I stayed with; it was Jonathan.”

“We should have switched them round, then?” Robin chuckled.

“I fear Edward may have taken even less kindly to a teenage version of himself being portrayed,” Oswald said. “And no; before you ask, no, Jonathan should not have been placed in Edward’s place regarding later matters either. I believe the friendship Jonathan and I have is more valuable than anything else we could have been. I’ve always had the knowledge I can count on Jonathan not to betray me so long as I do the same, to support me when fair and most of all to understand. He and I are too similar to be anything but friends, two lost moons in search of a sun to circle.” Before that ‘Aw!’ could break out of Robin’s delighted face, “Everyone else slowly followed as the years went by. For the first time in my life I had true friends because we all knew one painful feeling or another to share. That is why I was able to reform in the end, because for the first time I had people whom I cared about as individuals instead of as nameless chess pieces to be offed or take under my control.

“There are many people out there who feel the same, Robin,” Oswald began rounding off, “who feel vilified in their lives or who suffer the same abuses and ill luck that we rogues have. Many people’s fantasies may be of Batman or Jim Gordon, but the downtrodden and minorities look to us villains for their power fantasies. Were you the same, when you spoke of your own experiences being bullied informing your performance as me? That fun I know you have playing me, how much comes from the joy of finally acting out your darker fantasies?”

“Well...” Robin practically admitted, uncomfortably. “I do understand that stuff. You know, why people resonate with you and the other villains on our show.”

“Indeed. And I’m certainly not recommending the lifestyle, nor agreeing with my past lifestyle. But people will always relate because real life has ‘villains’ as well; not those who act cruelly, but those who always lose the fight in the end for one reason or another. Minorities in an unfair system, victims of abuse, or merely the plain unlucky. Too often, a villain is simply a loser who dares to fight back.”

“Okay, but not always,” Robin objected.

“Oh no, certainly not always. Sometimes a true villain wins, at which point they rewrite themselves as a hero.” Oswald muttered about a certain political leader he could think of, which made Robin laugh. “Many of the fans will wish for my ending to be a happy one on the show because, sadly, they can see too much of themselves in my character and wish to see that redemption, that a happy ending, is still possible for such a life. But I leave it all up to you, having said my part, if you wish to continuing pursuing a path of increasing humanity and hope of redemption as I did in real life, or if you wish to shed it and return to that animalistic monster again.”

“I’m not really in control of the writing...” Robin admitted, busier thinking about, “...I will tell them what you’ve said though; it might be too late to change their plans at this point, but after hearing all that myself...” He lapsed back into whatever actor-y thoughts he was having.

“Isn’t it rather late for you to be sans scripts? I was of the belief filming began soon,” Oswald asked.

“Later this month, yeah. And it’s not like I know nothing,” Robin said. “I know Oswald will be up against Jeremiah because Penguin wants control, and, you know, he can’t have control if everything’s destroyed. In the situation Gotham’s in, it might make you look pretty heroic,” he hinted.

“Yes, and how long precisely will that last?” Oswald dryly doubted. “As much as a rise to the status of quasi-hero would be a pleasant thing, in the end my situation will be rendered hopeless the moment I come up against the beloved Jim Gordon in any form – Oh, and do tell Ben McKenzie or anyone involved in the writing of the GCPD characters on the show never to show their face in this city; they may take issue with you showing such a degree of corruption within their organisation but that doesn’t mean it isn’t sufficiently real that they wouldn’t fabricate felonies of some sort to charge them with and give them a good fright.”

“R-Really?!” Robin exclaimed incredulously. “I mean, you know, we dramatised it a bit for entertainment but-”

“You portrayed Jim as an emotionally constipated womanizer, capable of being seduced into corruption by the likes of Sofia Falcone; it’s truly a marvel our dear Commissioner hasn’t sued you for defamation yet. And I may be corrupt but I’ve never had police officers on my payroll,” Oswald wanted to settle. “I also believe Harvey Bullock would take issue with your portrayal of him, but he has no grounds on which to actually complain about that as your fault; aside from the corruption, you’ve been nothing but accurate with him.”

Robin really wanted to enquire what amusing memories lay behind those knitted eyebrows, but, “Okay, I’ll pass that message along too. Anything else?”

“No, I don’t believe so.”

“Well, okay then. You know, just for the record I personally hope Oswald’s arc on the show ends with potential for reform like you did; I’d like to play that one day,” Robin admitted.

“A chance to finally give fans ‘the Nygmobblepot ending we deserve’ as I believe Edward put it.”

“Unless you get there first.”

Oswald inhaled and then exhaled uneasily. “I always have been a natural romantic, and lonely because of it. Despite the psychological therapy that should have allowed me to move past the potential problems you display on the show, I remain uncertain if actually pursuing that would be a propitious proposal or not.”

“Well, I think you’re ready for it from what I heard today – Though I can’t speak for Edward – and I kind of hope you do, just so I get to act it at some point.”

“You simply want an excuse to kiss Cory Michael Smith, don’t you?”

Robin chose to laugh that off with a, “Can you blame me?”

Oswald rolled his eyes, then back when his gaze landed on Smaylor the penguin of all things. “I will hope for the same then, and that it will be you given that opportunity if it ever arises; of all the actors and voice actors I’ve had the pleasure of being portrayed by over the years, I will concede you are my favourite.” Robin’s face lit up, shocked delight ready to pour out from behind the hands clasped in front of his mouth. “And I do want to make clear, in case it hasn’t been thus far, that I couldn’t be more honoured to have someone such as yourself portraying me, Robin.”

“I’m giving you a hug.”

“Wh-What?! N-No please-!” But it was already too late.

Oswald’s hands flinched against his chest at the very open, intimate affection wrapped around him. The blush spread from across his pale, round cheeks to his entire nose even the edges of his ears by the time Robin was done and he could once again shy away like a vampire avoiding the sun from Robin’s kindness and compliments. “Aw, you’re so bashful in real life!”

“I-I’m simply- I’m not... accustomed to this sort of... thing.” Oswald suffered it with dignity though, a cat putting up fondly with the household’s over-zealous child. “Were it anyone but you, or if we had company, I might be wishing I had one of my umbrellas to hand right now...”

Robin simply laughed, hearing the threat for as hollow as it was. He did release Oswald though. “Sorry. But I guess if you like seeing me act as you that much then you can’t do anything to me.” He flashed a cheeky grin as he dropped back into his seat again.

“Impertinent, insolent little...”

“Even if I wouldn’t mind taking a break for a while to pursue other opportunities now, I really hope season five isn’t going to be the end of my getting to portray you, Oswald,” Robin continued casually, again simply smiling as Oswald muttered empty invectives to himself.

Once satisfied in his play-grousing, “As do I, if for no other reason than having doomed you to a life of dyeing your hair to be recognised as yourself anymore.”

“Oh, don’t even! As soon as I’m done with my final scene for season five I’m going upstairs and shaving all the black off; back to blond for me,” Robin told him.

“Really? While I’ll admit I can see the appealing advantages of anonymity it might afford, I for one would miss it.”

“Why? I thought you’d be sick of me stealing your spotlight, making you look ‘less attractive by comparison’ and all that.”

Oswald shrugged somewhat, eventually finding a way to admit, “...You almost look as if you could be my little brother with that colour.”

“Do you like that idea-? Do you have any siblings, actually?”

“I have one biological older brother and one biological older sister. I have no family however,” Oswald said enough with that.

“Well, my actual older sister might be a bit jealous about sharing but I’d be honoured,” Robin played along. “I might not still look like you but that doesn’t have to stop us.”

“I suppose not.” Before Robin could get out the rest of his suggestion Oswald could go blond if he really cared about them matching, “Given the time now, it would be rudely remiss of me not to offer you a lunchtime repast, if you’d care to stay.”

“Oh, totally!”

“We’ll be having leftovers from last night’s snack bar, unless you insist on having me cook for you upstairs in my flat- Yes, you’re welcome to wander around up there if you must,” Oswald pre-empted fondly, getting up and collecting their empty glasses. “Either way, I need to put the rest of the leftovers out back first so come make your selection if you are going to take the amenable choice about this.”

“Out back?”

Robin followed as Oswald led the way past one of the bars into a rather professional, white and chrome kitchen. “I put out what leftovers that are safely edible in the alleyway behind the Lounge for the local homeless population each lunchtime; we could hardly serve them again the following night to the sort of clientele that come here but there’s no reason for them to go to waste. I spent much of my criminal career in some degree of homelessness at points, as did many of us before Edward and I worked out... alternative arrangements.” Robin raised an eyebrow, but Oswald simply continued, “Jonathan and Jervis offer money and food in return for participation in their experiments. Pamela hands out some sort of arboreal tents to homeless women to protect them from the cold and abuse. Whatever you may think of the ethics, it’s more than the city council ever does for them.”

“No, I- That’s really surprising,” Robin admitted. “It just didn’t seem like, you know, the sort of thing you’d do.”

“It’s all these movies and TV shows,” Oswald paused to place his hand on Robin’s forearm somewhat camply; “they make me out to be such a monster.”

Robin bit back his laughter, standing back as Oswald began fetching covered containers out of a large fridge and placing them on the surfaces around. Attempts to help simply sent Oswald into fussing – Where Robin had all of the effeminate, modern camp, it was a delight to see Oswald’s more cultivated, Victorian-esque camp come out in full as he lightly slapped Robin’s hands away and tutted over his complete culinary incompetence – so Robin settled onto one of the kitchen’s stool with a good plate of cold potato salad, a vegetable salad heavy on _iceberg_ lettuce and half a tuna melt baguette, feeling very much the child told to just stay out of the way and let the adults work.

“Speaking of the future,” Oswald mentioned as he soon sat down to eat as well, a similar selection on his plate, “if budget is the impediment I could always bring our penguins to your set, were there call for them.”

“Really?! Oh, that’d be so cool! Definitely,” Robin decided; “I’m going to force them to put some in now!”

Oswald chuckled at a return of the child-like enthusiasm.

“In return,” Robin considered for a moment, “maybe we could come join in with one of your watch-along parties – The finale of season five maybe, since it’ll be the last ever episode.”

“Are you quite certain the other actors would be comfortable in the presence of... Well, I never intended to pose any threat to you but you still seemed tremendously terrified of me earlier when you first arrived nonetheless, and I am the only one of us rogues considered both sane and law-abiding.”

Robin laughed awkwardly. “Okay, maybe... I mean, people like Camren and the original characters wouldn’t be in too much danger, but man I would _not_ want to be someone like Cameron or either of Jonathan’s actors.”

“Oh, Jonathan wouldn’t harm his actors; he probably wouldn’t even fear gas them.” The issue of ‘probably’ went unnoticed to Oswald, as he continued, “The Joker hasn’t turned up to any yet; he and Harley rather tend to avoid each other these days- Not out of any sort of fear of her, you understand. Just that things are... complicated.”

“It sounds it. It sounds like a soap opera actually, your social life.”

“ _It’s Always Sunny in Gotham_ \- Oh wait, that’s a sitcom.” Robin’s laughter suggested it was much of a muchness anyway; either was appropriate really. “Well, sound the others out when you return to filming. We’d certainly be very glad to have any of you brave enough to dare when the time comes. And you will keep in touch, won’t you?”

“Oh, totally! I’ll even send you spoilers from on set,” Robin offered, “...if you let me play with your propeller umbrella.” Oswald sighed into his potato salad. “Oh come on! I’ve been dying to have a trick umbrella on the show!”

“I hope you have strong arms in that case.”

Robin flexed his weedy, sinewy biceps, choosing to ignore Oswald’s unimpressed eyeroll. “I’ve really gotta try your monocle too. I really hope they’re finally going to give me one this season...” Oswald simply continued to sigh, shaking his head as Robin rambled on joyfully.

~#~

An animated afternoon had given way to an equally excitable early evening: his staff had arrived, autographs had been signed and selfies destined for Instagram taken. Now Robin was off home back to New York, and fresh from his shower Oswald stood before his open wardrobe wondering what to select that wouldn’t feel like cosplaying as himself after today.

His phone still sat where it had been all day, given the eavesdropper Edward could be, upon his desk in the main room. Oswald’s gaze was drawn continually, but he kept at a distance from it, from their private rogues’ messaging service, from that little digital room always left open for just him and Edward.

Wiping his monocle off now he finally had it back, Oswald reached into his wardrobe for his daily standard of a shirt, suit jacket, tie...

The clothes hesitated in Oswald’s hands tonight. He began removing and then replaced the shirt on its hanger at least three times, fingers fidgeting against his will and a deep breath escaping his nose before he pinched at it.

Oswald tossed the clothes onto his bed, walking over to his phone and picking it up in slightly unsteady hands.

**Author's Note:**

> What happened after Oswald picked up his phone is be continued in the final part of this series, 'Friendly Fire', which is a multi-chapter story focusing on Oswald and Edward in the fallout of this conversation and the effects _Gotham_ has had on their relationship.
> 
> Since this is real person fic I truly don’t want to make any real people uncomfortable with what I’ve written so if Robin or anyone close to him is reading this and finds it uncomfortable I will change it or take it down (And if Robin Lord Taylor does ever read this, oh my God, hi!) I spent a long time watching interviews and Q&A panels of Robin in research for this fic to make sure I was portraying him correctly, both in terms of behaviour/speech style and opinions, as the last thing I want to do is put words in his mouth he wouldn’t want to be there, especially on some of the sensitive topics that come up in this fic. A list of sources related to Robin is included below for things referenced in this fic. 
> 
> ****  
> Robin Resources  
> 
> 
>   * [Oswald becoming a pure evil monster by the end](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVQIqhrZmyE)
>   * [Why Oswald becomes a monster/Oswald not truly being queer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfXhcQJPhfo)
>   * [Robin on the messages he gets saying it's changing canon making Oswald queer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6vls7apUf8)
>   * [Talking about why they made Oswald 'queer'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbLX-Vg8yvE)
>   * [Robin and Cory want Oswald and Edward to come together or split apart in season 5](https://www.eonline.com/news/936141/gotham-s-robin-lord-taylor-cory-michael-smith-tease-season-4-finale-and-have-a-final-season-wish-sure-to-delight-fans)
>   * [Calling Oswald 'weird'/'eccentric' and how much fun he has playing Oswald](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csM8tBGLDYk)
>   * [On him being a good/bad guy and how murder is the most difficult to play](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2sAnMJZfdM)
>   * [Early source on what Oswald would be doing during season 5](http://wegotthiscovered.com/tv/robin-lord-taylor-penguin-headed-gotham-season-5/)
>   * [Robin on growing up gay/overweight connecting him to Oswald](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR2SXfi-sio)
>   * [The 'Fuck, Marry, Kill' game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56lYmo4c2fc)
>   * [Robin's cat ears](http://baskervilleshund.tumblr.com/post/162204979320/robin-being-totally-adorable-and-talks-about-when)
>   * [Robin having waited tables in a previous job](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8fGFON_WQ)
>   * [Robin wanting to shave his head and go blond after season 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhUYSkHZe_w)
> 



End file.
